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October 2022

Devotion  in motion 

The Bhakti movement in India has been a  potent force in bringing people together through  devotional worship and making us realise  that all of us, in essence, are one. Jamuna  Rangachari talks about the various forms that  this movement has taken and its widespread  influence in various parts of the country

Bhakti has also been metaphorically seen as  spiritual love for the Lord where the bhakta (devotee) seeks the Lord, just like a woman  seeks a man. 

India has been the land of seekers since  times immemorial, and this is evident  from the Bhakti movements that have  flourished in all regions, with their respective  flavours and traditions, albeit always with  fervour. India is known as the land of unity in  diversity, and this can be seen more colourfully  in the Bhakti movements than anywhere else. 

My late mother-in-law used a rosary for  chanting God’s name and believed that she  would always be taken care of unconditionally.  “Perumal en kai vidamatan,” loosely translated  as “God will never let go of me,” was her firm  belief till the end of her life. To everyone else  too, be it us, our maids, or our friends, this was  her way of counselling, as she was clear that  God is always with his children. It is this trait  of hers that endeared her deeply to me even  before I became her daughter-in-law and was  definitely one of the reasons I was happy to be  part of the family. 

It is said that people define societies and  societies define nations. Ours has always been  a land of seekers. So, lasting changes have  taken place only through this potent force of  spirituality. Historically, the Bhakti movement  was a significant religious movement in the  15th and 16th centuries. It sought to bring  religious reforms to all strata of society by  adopting devotion to achieve salvation. In  the South, it gained prominence through the  poems and teachings of the Vaishnavite saints  called Alvars and the Shaivite saints called  Nayanars, and through Goddess worship called  Shaktism, before it travelled northwards.  

Bhakti has also been metaphorically seen as  spiritual love for the Lord where the bhakta (devotee) seeks the Lord, just like a woman  seeks a man. In this context, just as Meera is  popular in the North for her bhakti to Krishna,  Andal is very popular in the South, especially  Tamil Nadu, for her bhakti, again to Krishna,  whom she is believed to have married and  merged into. The difference between the two is  that while Meera’s devotion was not accepted  by her family, Andal’s was, right from the  beginning, as she was blessed to be born to an  Alwar, a Vaishnavite saint. Till today, from  December 15 to January 15, everyone sings  Andal’s bhajans, as she composed one bhajan a  day during the same month to convey her love  for Krishna, whom she subsequently married.  While unmarried girls are encouraged to pray  for a husband like Krishna, others sing the  bhajans primarily for Krishna’s bhakti. One  can see people singing the bhajans early in the  morning wherever they may be.  

The Bhakti movement has been  instrumental in bringing people  together, especially when its principles  are followed diligently. 

This is one tradition that I shall always  remember, for I was born in Delhi, and  despite the extremely cold weather, my late  grandfather, a Carnatic musician, used to go  along with all his students while others would  join in to take part in singing these bhajans. In  fact, at that time, Andal became well-known in  that part of Delhi, as everyone started looking  forward to the bhajans. Even recently, when I  met some old friends from Delhi, they asked  me to sing those bhajans with them and said  that they continued following this tradition  both in Delhi and in America, where they were  now based. So, yes, the tradition of Bhakti  becomes a part of one’s identity when one does  it sincerely.  

The Bhakti movement has been instrumental  in bringing people together, especially when  its principles are followed diligently. 

Principles of the Bhakti movement The Bhakti movement taught that God is  one, and to worship God, man should serve  humanity and treat all men as equals. Bhakti  maintained and propagated that the worship of  God with devotion and inner piety is better than  external worship, like participating in various  ceremonies and going on pilgrimages. It also  eschewed caste distinctions and superstitious  practices. All this may seem simple in theory  but is difficult to practise in the journey of life. 

Here too, I remember my late mother-in law who would not be that interested in  pilgrimages but would insist that we perform  an annadana (food donation) regularly for the  underprivileged. Even during my late father in-law’s barsi (death anniversary), she would  insist on feeding all the underprivileged in  whichever area we stayed. It is indeed for this  reason that she is fondly remembered in all  the areas we lived in, and I am sure she has  gathered a lot of spiritual blessings in the  process. 

As she loved music also, she kept singing the  hymns of saints, of which Kanaka Das was  her favourite for his songs and stories. There  is a legend that talks about how Sri Krishna  came from Dwarka to Udupi, a coastal town.  Initially, his idol was placed in a temple, looking  eastward, by the seer Lord Madhavacharya, as  was the norm. At that time, an ardent devotee  whose name was Kanaka Das came to Udupi to  get the blessings of Sri Krishna. However, he  was denied entry into the Udupi temple for he  belonged to a lower caste. This again was the  norm in those days. 

The devotee sat in front of the temple and  prayed with fervour to Sri Krishna, and then  something miraculous happened. Pleased with  his devotion, Sri Krishna decided to bless him  with a glimpse. The Balakrishna idol, which  was initially facing eastward, magically turned  westward. The walls of the temple had a crack  and this allowed Kanaka Das to see Sree  Krishna. After this incident, a proper window  was constructed in the place where the crack  had appeared, and this window is known as  Kanakana Kindi. To date, the idol of Udupi  Krishna faces the west, and the window is my  favourite place in the temple, for this reminds  all that God never ever discriminates between  his devotees and sees only pure devotion.  

Bhakti movements across India 

The Varkaris of Maharashtra 

Among all the states that I have lived in,  Maharashtra is my favourite for its egalitarian  attitude in all areas. When I was in Mumbai,  I remember the fervour with which the  Varkaris (devotees of Lord Vithoba) went  to Pandharpur. So much so that I was very  intrigued and accompanied my maid to visit  the place along with other Varkaris. It was an  amazing trip where I could see solidarity and  bhakti all around me; everyone kept chanting  “Vithala” while some sang abhangs (devotional  songs). There was absolutely no discrimination how Maharashtra has always been progressive  in all aspects—they had a head start! 

The tradition is that on Ashadhi Ekadashi  every year, since the 13th century, lakhs of  Varkaris gather in Pandharpur to seek the  blessings of their beloved deity Vithoba, also  called Vitthala. The movement was democratic  from the beginning, as the great Bhakti saints  Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, and Namdev were  from different castes and laid the foundation  together. They were inspired by both

Bhakti and the Sufi saints, who were reacting  to the religious orthodox practices in their  respective religions.  

These saints not only included all castes but  also gave a special place to women much before  women’s liberation was even discussed. The  way they did this was by comparing Vitthal  to a mother, calling her Vithu Mauli, and by  including the contribution of female poets like  Muktabai, Janabai, and Bahinabai. Essentially,  they wished to highlight the fact that all are  equal in the eyes of Vitthal, and were, indeed,  extremely successful, as Maharashtra, to date,  has in its fabric the ethos of unity in Bhakti. 

It was then that I understood The Varkaris of Maharashtra gather in lakhs every year to seek  the blessings of Lord Vithoba. 

The Kanwars of North India 

Another significant movement of Bhakti is in  the North and is that of the Kanwars. They  are devotees of Shiva who make an annual  pilgrimage to temples in Haridwar, Gaumukh,  and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Sultanganj  in Bihar, where thousands of participants  gather sacred water from the Ganga and carry  

it across hundreds of miles to dispense it as  offering in their local Shiva shrines or the  temples in areas where they reside. 

The pilgrims derive their name, ‘Kanwars,’  from the contraption they use for gathering  the Ganga water, which is called ‘kanwar,’ and  while the source of the water is often the Ganga,  it can also be its local equivalents. The offering  is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is addressed  as Bhola (innocent) or Bhole Baba (innocent  guardian or god). This used to be a small affair  earlier until the late 1980s. However, it is  gaining in popularity now, with millions from  many age groups joining in. I remember that  when I was in Delhi, many of my friends used  to take me to see the devotees’ fervour and also  ask me to carry some water and a few snacks  to serve them. I still remember hearing their  chants and devotion, and everyone undertaking  this journey together without ever stopping or  giving up. 

This year during the gathering, a son carried  his elderly parents in a palanquin and was  lauded by Uttarakhand’s DGP, Ashok Kumar,  who shared a lovely video on Twitter calling  the devotee a modern-day Shravana Kumar. 

This practice of the Kanwars has travelled  outside India too. There is an annual Maha  Shivaratri pilgrimage in Mauritius, where  around half a million Hindus go on a pilgrimage  to Ganga Talao, a crater lake in that region,  with many walking barefoot from their homes,  carrying kanwars. 

The Sabrimala yatra of Kerala 

As most of us know, a very well-known Bhakti  movement in the South is the Sabarimala  Yatra in Kerala, which was recently in the  news for the wrong reasons, unfortunately.  The temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to Lord  Ayyappa, is the most famous and prominent  among all the Sastha (Dravidian) temples in  Kerala. Most South Indian men plan a visit to  this temple and undertake a forty-one-day fast  before travelling there. People who wish to go  there wear a garland made of tulsi or rudraksha,  observe celibacy, and are clad in black, saffron,  or dark blue. They also walk barefoot wherever  they may be. This is done as Lord Ayyappa  himself was a celibate. Though there have been  some disputes over why women should not  attend, the reality is that the territory is not too  friendly for men and women to walk barefoot  together. So I, for one, feel the tradition should  be respected. 

I know of many of my friends who diligently  undertake this journey regularly and, I have  also seen the transformation of many from  debauchery to devotion, just with true bhakti.  I personally would recommend this journey to  all young men for understanding true bhakti and solidarity. 

I remember a Christian friend of mine who  undertook this yatra and went to the temple  following all guidelines. This temple welcomes  devotees of all castes, creeds, and religions.  Even the famous singer Yesudas is said to be  an ardent bhakta of this temple and often goes  there. What’s more, the temple uses his voice  every day to play the famous song Harivarasana that is recited before closing the temple. 

Saints not only included all castes but also gave  a special place to women much before women’s  liberation was even discussed. The way they did  this was by comparing Vitthal to a mother, calling  her Vithu Mauli, and by including the contribution  of female poets like Muktabai, Janabai, and  Bahinabai.

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Spirituality that helps us discover that ladder. 

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When we integrate Spiritual practices into  our lives, we realize that the intricately woven  threads of emotions, circumstances, and  relationships are led by that one powerful  needle called the Universe. Embrace it and  have unwavering faith that as it weaves through  your past, present, and future, your life will  beautifully come full-circle.  

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During COVID, more than ever, people realized  through our transformative courses that it was  indeed possible to remove fear and live by  embracing their own truth. This sharpened  their vision for future and gave them a new  lease on life. Many of our clients are working at  positions that they could only imagine before  2020, and are now leading balanced lives,  which is one of the gifts of Spirituality. 

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When someone with so much spiritual depth  as Adi Shankara acknowledged the potent  force of bhakti, everyone around him also  started understanding and practising bhakti as a powerful way of accessing the Divine. 

The temple is open only during certain  months, and the pilgrimage undertaken here  is a symbiotic combination of mind power,  determination, physical stamina, and faith to  reach the sanctum sanctorum! 

The Bauls of Bengal 

Bengal too has had many Bhakti movements.  There is one movement called the Baul  tradition, which has inspired many from  all castes, religions, and nations (India and  Bangladesh), and writers too, so much so that  it has even been recognised by UNESCO. The  origin of the word ‘baul’ is something that is  often discussed. It could have been derived  either from the Sanskrit word ‘vatula,’ which  means ‘enlightened’ or someone who is eager  to the point of being considered mad for the  spiritual life, where they can realise their  union with their beloved, who is the Divine. 

The devotees sing a form of music called Baul  Sangeet, which is folk music and part of a  heritage of preaching mysticism through songs.  They express their feelings through their songs  but never bother to write them down. Their  tradition is essentially an oral tradition. Seeing  their spiritual strength, Rabindranath Tagore  was deeply influenced by them, and his songs,  too, often use their kind of music. He has also  written about them and their mysticism. 

Whether we have heard Baul Sangeet or not,  most of us do know that music for Bengalis  is almost like a religion and, hence, the Baul  tradition does make sense as it has deep  musical roots. 

Impact on society 

It is stated by many that the Bhakti movement’s  rapid spread throughout India was, in part,  due to the arrival of Islam with the invaders.  This could be the case, as people wanted  succour then, and we all do turn to the Divine  for guidance, hope, and sustenance.  

Revival of culture and literature: The fact  is that the Bhakti movement did witness a  great increase in Hindu literature in regional  languages, particularly in the form of  devotional poems and music. This movement  also resulted in several spiritual works getting  translated into various Indian languages. As  we know, literature always reflects the times  and, therefore, as everyone wished to move  towards Bhakti, it did get many proponents in  various forms. 

This movement has two ways of accessing the  Divine, known as Brahman— Nirguna and  Saguna. Brahman as Nirguna is the concept  of the Ultimate Reality as formless, without  attributes or qualities. In contrast, Saguna  Brahman was envisioned with form, attributes,  and qualities. These concepts have parallels in  the ancient pantheistic unmanifest and theistic  manifest traditions, respectively, and are  traceable to the Arjuna–Krishna conversation  in the Bhagavad Gita. It is said that even Adi  Shankara, the famous Advaita seer, wrote the  famous verse, Bhaja Govindam, merging bhakti and philosophy to make people understand the  Divine, as he found that Bhakti philosophy is  accessible to all. When someone with so much  spiritual depth as him acknowledged the  potent force of bhakti, everyone around him also  started understanding and practising bhakti as  a powerful way of accessing the Divine. 

I remember this song being played in all homes  on most occasions, be they festive or sorrowful,  with people saying it is bhakti to Govinda alone  that will provide succour, sustenance, and  connection with the Divine. 

Service to humanity: The Bhakti movement  also introduced many forms of social service  such as anna dana (food charity). This practice  has been embraced particularly by Sikhism,  for it has been impacted a lot by the Bhakti  movement, and many call it a kind of Bhakti  movement. In fact, this movement has  impacted everyone in India, for it was always meant to convey that the Divine is accessible to  all. Even Islam found it easier to reach out to  people through Sufism, which is also a variant  of the Bhakti tradition. 

Even today, Shirdi Sai Baba is visited by  people of all faiths, who come together as  one. “Baba ka bulava aya hai,” is a phrase that  one often hears not just in Maharashtra but  all over India. Sai temples are springing up  everywhere, and people of all castes, creeds,  and religions throng there. In my family, most  people have an image of Shirdi Sai Baba and  the book Sai Satcharitra, which talks about  his miracles. Recently, an uncle of mine who  was an atheist was asked to read this book  for a health challenge he was facing and, to  everyone’s surprise, he began doing this. Soon,  his health improved, and he became an ardent  Sai devotee. He goes to Shirdi whenever he can  or at least to one of the Sai temples in Chennai.  Both his children took their spouses also to  Shirdi before their weddings, and it thus  became a family tradition. 

Yet another movement in the South is that of  Muruga, who is believed to be the son of Shiva  and Parvati, and the brother of Lord Ganesh.  There are many songs in both folklore and  classical music about him. In my husband’s  maternal family, though they are Vaishnavites,  all cousins were named with ‘Kumar’ added to  their names as both, a kind of surname as well  as obeisance to Muruga, who is also known as  Kumar. 

There are many ways of worshiping Muruga,  but bhakti is known as one of the surest and  easiest ways of realising the Supreme. Many  people all around Tamil Nadu go to various  Muruga temples, the primary one being the one 

The Baul bhakti tradition of Bengal has been recognised even by UNESCO 

Bhakti Teaching Story  

Seeing God everywhere 

There was a woman who prayed to God,  desiring to meet Him personally. She thought  continuously about him. One day, before  sleeping, she thought of him intensely. The  next day, she felt she heard His voice saying  that He would come, and began preparations  to welcome Him. She cooked delicious food  and made the house look sparkling clean. 

Just then, someone knocked at the door. She  was excited but was disappointed to see a  salesman selling some magazines. She turned  him away and shut the door with irritation.  After some time, someone else came. It turned  out to be her daughter’s friend who had come  to play with her. She was very disappointed  again. That night she cried and asked God why  He had not come. He replied, “You didn’t see  me. I came twice, once as a salesman and then  as a young girl, but you just turned me away.” 

The woman understood her mistake and  realised that God is present in everything and  everyone. From then onwards, she understood  the true meaning of bhakti. 

Interpretation: We often treat people or other  living creatures and things around us without  respect and love, and keep waiting to ‘see’  divinity. We must use the learnings of Bhakti  and see God everywhere and in all beings. 

Including bhakti in our lives 

1. Never discriminate between the highs and  the lows 

2. Remember God is always with us 3. Chant His name to bring Him closer to us 4. Serve humanity in whatever way possible 5. Never lose hope or faith 

6. Don’t insult anyone’s way of worship 

at Palani. They often undertake the pilgrimage  barefoot to visit the Lord. In my own family, a  relative who was not too well insisted on going  to Palani barefoot and firmly believed that all  would be well. He went despite protests from  relatives and returned with his health restored,  having made many new believer friends from  all strata of society. To date, he and his friends  travel to Palani together with a firm belief in  the Divine and pray for all of humanity. 

Removal of discrimination: Another  important Bhakti movement worth noting is  that of Lord Basaveswara of Karnataka, who  was born a Brahmin but questioned traditions  since the tender age of eight, throwing away his  sacred thread, for he wished everything to be  the same for all. He held many posts, including  that of the Prime Minister of the kingdom of  Kalyan, where he later went.  

Though he reached a high level in his own life,  Lord Basaveswara wished to do something for  everyone around him. He was deeply interested  in changing society and making everyone truly  

understand the Divine as he knew it. He then  guided many in bringing about social change.  He wrote his practical experiences in a novel  form of literature called Vachana (poetry),  which is still very popular in Karnataka.  His teachings were based on greater societal  inclusion, removal of gender- and class-based  bias, performing good karma, the importance of  love and devotion, and the importance of bhakti as a means of liberation, or moksha. Hence, his  teachings will always remain relevant. 

Bhakti brings people together like nothing  else can, for it is indeed while worshipping the  Divine that we realise we all are children of the  Divine and share each other’s experiences and  journeys. This is why bhakti could be said to be  the best glue to bind human beings together.  

Bhakti is a force that can never die, for the  Creator has blessed us with it. This is why I  am certain that whatever the situation, India,  being the land of seekers of the Divine,  shall remain a fertile ground for the Bhakti  movement eternally.

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